Nice To Meet You!
by Kasumi Sora
Summary: A collection of the first time characters met. [Stand alone chapters. Warnings and genre will be marked at the start of the chapter along with who is appearing in it]Ch 3: Mana visits her aunt for the first time without her mom.
1. Itsuki and the Birthday Boy

Nice To Meet You! Is a collection of the first time characters met. Each chapter stands alone. This fic COULD contain angst, slash/het, craky humor, and little known people form the univrese. **All **of this will be marked at the start of the chapter along with who is appearing in it, just in case you want to skip one.

I didn't have this in mind when I stared doing these, but is keeps me from spamming the section, not that it couldn't use it.

* * *

Summary: (GEN, Girly Boys). Naoya Itsuki meets Tsukasa for the first time. Poor Itsuki. 

Characters: Tsukasa, Itsuki, Tomonori  
Prompt: 29. Birth  
Rating: PG

Written for MOG's Challange. Where you had to pick a line from the list and use it in a fic.

To the line: I_t may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others._

**o-o-oOo-o-o**_  
_

The view of Seika high's roof wasn't half bad to those who bothered to look. The school sat on a hill, so that on a clear day, you could see the sky scrapers reaching up miles away. What really made the building's roof stand out though were the birds. They came by in the evenings after most of the students had left to eat the scraps left from the small groups that ate lunch up there everyday. They could also still be found roosting there early in the mornings. 

Itsuki had learned about the birds his first day. Though he normally spent his time after school in clubs or one of his various jobs, if he had the time (and could get past the teachers) he would sneak up there to think, while waiting on Kanmae to leave basketball practice. It was on one of these free days that he first met Amou Tsukasa.

He had heard about the "new kid who looks just like a girl." All the girls were ogling over him, even some of the seniors (and a few of the boys). No one knew much about him, though the stories were flying. Itsuki had yet to hear anyone say the boy's name. He didn't see the big deal with the new kid. It was still early in their fist semester, transfers and new additions were not unheard of.

He lazily wondered down the halls, keeping a careful eye out for teachers, and made his way to the roof's stairway. Sounds of laughter echoed to him though the door. Ducking around a corner, he quietly watched the steel door fly open. Two of the more brain-dead senior thugs came strutting out, grinning and talking loudly about 'punk kids.'

Coming down from a cigarette break, he figured. That's what most did up there, and what he was planning to do. With the coast clear he made his way up the steps. Walking out on to the roof, he thought he heard a quite cry of frustration. In the corner Itsuki spotted another student hunched over on the ground, looking like nothing more than a small black lump caught in a whirl of white papers.

"Hey, you alright?" He asked tentatively to the boy hunched over scattered papers on the ground.

The other boy jerked around, shaggy, blond bangs falling over huge misty brown eyes. For a moment, Itsuki was stunned to silence, thinking it the prettiest thing he had ever seen.

"I...I just dropped my p-papers." He stuttered, blushing deep red.

Itsuki shook his head, finding his voice and, unexpectedly, some sympathy. "You drop them or the meat heads drop those for you?" He picked up an escaping paper blowing by his foot.

"Um..."

"They'll lose interest soon. They're just mad they can't get the girls like you can." Itsuki handed the other boy some papers. "You could always sick your adoring fans on them."

The boy's blushed deepened as he mumbled something that sounded like a 'thank you,' confirming Itsuki suspicions. He certainly fit the "looks just like a girl" part. Had it not been for the uniform, Itsuki was sure he would not have known the difference. "What's your name?"

"I'm Amou Tsukasa. Nice to meet you." Tsukasa bowed standing, some composure retuned.

"Nayoa Itsuki." Itsuki wondered over the puddles of splattered ink near the outside wall's fence. Picking up one of the flattened, bleeding pens he said, "Don't think these are salvageable."

"Ah..." Tsukasa frowned at the remaining blue ink dripping to the ground, and Itsuki felt his insides squirm uncomfortably.

"Look...I know I have another one here somewhere...ah!" Itsuki pulled a pen from his pocket. "Here," He said thrusting it into Tsukasa's hand.

"Thank you!" The boy took the pen so happily Itsuki was once again taken aback by his face.

"No problem," He said, looking away. "What brings you up here?"

"I like to watch the birds and I haven't joined in any clubs yet. What about you, Itsuki-san?"

Itsuki pulled out a pack of cigarettes, tapping the pack lightly to pull one out. "Need to relax."

"Tomonori-san says those things are bad for you." Tsukasa frowned as Itsuki pulled out his lighter.

"So is not relaxing."

The sound of steel door screeched across the roof. Itsuki jerked cigarettes and lighter behind his back.

"Tsukasa? Are you up here?" A voice, Nakaura-sensei's Itsuki thought (for it had invaded his sweetest daydreams many a time), called.

"I'm here Tom-Nakaura-sensei." Tuskasa stuffed the last paper into his folder, and excitedly walked to the door. "It was nice meeting you Itsuki-san. Thank you for your help. Good-bye!"

"Bye."

**o-o-oOo-o-o**

It had been almost three weeks since his last day off. In reality, he didn't have this day off either. He had just decided to skip last period and let the Paranormal Club out early, so he could come up for a quick smoke before going to work. He had not seen Tsukasa since that first time on the roof, and did not really expect to seen him again outside of full grade actives. He had learned a lot more about him though, as was unavoidable when surrounded by his chattering fan club in class.

Tsukasa lived with one of the teachers. Nakaura-sensei was the most popular in theory, but no one knew for sure, and Tsukasa apparently wasn't telling. He picked up that Tsukasa had turned down the (many) love letters he had received with such kindness, grace, and blushing that the girls love him all the more for it. So for his birthday today, he would be getting the greatest of gifts. One of which smelled like road killed, and left him wondering just how Mr. Sweetness and Light would handle that one. It would be with some blushing he was sure.

Perhaps though the most satisfying thing he learned was that the two thugs that had been giving Tsukasa trouble had suffered a rather nasty run in with one of the more popular senior girls, after she had found out from a "mysterious source" that they had been bothering Tsukasa. Smiling at the memory of their pink painted nails, Itsuki stepped out on the roof.

It was windy and warm. The summer sun heated the cement, and when Itsuki laid back on to his perch above the door it almost felt like the building was burning him. He closed his eyes for a moment, just enjoying the cool wind whipping over his face. Moments later it seemed, he opened his eyes to a voice calling him.

"Itsuki-san? Itsuki-san, are you all right?"

"Hm...?" Itsuki sat up stiffly and looked down between his knees at the speaker.

"Did you fall asleep?" Tsukasa gazed up at him, smiling slightly.

Itsuki stretched, throwing his arms up and sighing dramatically. "I guess, I did."

"Are you sick? Do you need to see the nurse?"

"Nah," Itsuki said, hopping down. "Just catching up on a little lost sleep."

"You look...um...a little red."

"I do?" Itsuki put his hand to his all too warm...now slightly stinging cheek. "Ah...that's not good."

"You must have been up there a long time to get sun burned."

"Yeah..." Itsuki looked down at his watch. He had been in there a long time, long enough that he was probably out of a job now. He glared down at the watch, feeling like it was the cause of so many on his problems. He took out his pack of cigarettes looking at the four lonely sticks left. Soon he sighed, shutting the pack.

"Oh, I just remembered." Tsukasa pulled a pen from his pocket. "I need to give this back to you."

"Don't worry about it." Itsuki looked up with a small smile and a shrug. "It's your birthday, right? Keep it, call it a gift." Itsuki was expecting a 'thank you', maybe a blush (guy seemed to do that a lot), but he wasn't planning on the misty eyes before him.

"I...I..." Tuskasa sniffed.

"Look, it's only a birthday present. It just means I'm glad you didn't die partway through the year."

"I'm sorry. You must think I'm so weird..." Tsukasa hic-upped a few times, while Itsuki awkwardly patted him on the shoulder. "It's just you're the first one to give me a birthday present besides Tomon--I mean, Nakaura-sensei."

"I bet you got a lot of gifts today!" Itsuki said a tad too enthusiastically, inching towards the door.

"No," He sniffed. "A few girls tried, but I can't take those. They might think I like them, if I accepted. That's what Yukari-sensei said anyway."

Itsuki felt he should say something here, he was sure he was suppose to, but his mind was just telling him to avoid the situation. He could handle crying girls fine, but a boy was weird. For some reason seeing this guy cry made him like he had done something horrible. Like baroque a big-eyed puppy who was the only friend of some poor, orphan girl.

Luckily, Itsuki was saved from this awkward moment, but was also doomed from this day forward.

The metal of the door of the roof screeched open to revel a tired looking Nakaura-sensei, who was looking less tried as he approached. "Tsukasa, what wrong?" he asked, clearly worried.

"Oh, it's nothing. I'm just being silly."

Nakaura-sensei's eyes turned to Itsuki for the first time, as if only now noticing him, and darkened. "Nayoa Itsuki. Why weren't you in my class this afternoon?"

"I...uhhh..."

"I think Itsuki-san has a fever Nakaura-sensei." Tuskasa mumbled, wiping a few lingering tears. "He looks really red."

"Hmmm..."

"Yeah, Sensei! I feel really bad too. I better go to the nurse. Bye!" Itsuki all but ran towards the door, before he made it far though the skeptical teacher grabbed his arm. The stop was enough to knock the pack of cigarettes from his pocket. The pack spilled out onto the ground.

"And just what are those, Itsuki-san?"

"On the ground..." Itsuki murmured, looking sadly at the white stick rolling away in the light breeze. "I mean, I found them. On the ground," Itsuki said, snapping out of his depression.

"To the principal's office now!" Nakaura-sensei pulled by the elbow off the roof.

**o-o-oOo-o-o**

"Really, he gave you two months of detention?" Kaname asked as he pulled his uniform from his locker.

"Yeah and I'm never gong to find a job like this!"

"That's what you get for smoking."

"Oh no, that's just the official reason he put down. He really did it because he thought I made Tsukasa cry. That's why he made it one month on instead of two the next day. He found out what really happened. I am an example of what happened when you upset Amou Tsukasa!" Itsuki loudly proclaimed, causing the few player left in the locker room to stop and stare.

"Hey, It's players onl-Ahg! It's you again!"

Itsuki jumped up as a rampaging Yi-Xin Shiba appeared at the corner on the lockers. "Um, later," he mumbled before disappearing though the door, upperclassmen tight on his heels.

"Yeah, it may be that your sole purpose is simply to serve as a warning to others." Kaname slammed his locker shut, following the sounds of shots.

* * *

I hope to update every two or three weeks. Reviews might spur me to go faster...I also take request on who to do next.  



	2. Tracer the Messenger

Did I say every two or three weeks? I meant once month. Haha. And this one I had done...

Thanks to Desert.Illusion for the review! Once you are done with this, and your REVIEW for it, go her her stuff as it is awesome.

I don't own it. If I did, there would be 30 books of short stories.

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Summary: (GEN, slashy jokes, and pointless dark thinking.). With Tomonori down and out Tracer must go tell Tsukasa what's going on  


Characters: Tomonori, Tracer, Tuskasa  
Prompt: 21. Friends  
Rating: PG

Written for **obseletevulture,** just beacuse she's cool . Hey babe, it only took me 5 months...ahaha...

**---o0o---**

Tomonori woke to the over powering smell of cigarette smoke and antiseptic burning his nose. He cracked open his eyes to a blur of white ceiling and of black robes not far from the side his lumpy bed. The bright lights stung his eyes, and he closed them in defeat.

"Oh, but you do look good when your lying in bed half naked and out of your mind."

"Shut up," Tomonori reached up to rub his burning eyes.

"That is the kind of hospital gown with no back, right?"

Tomonori decided it would be worth whatever pain he had to endure, and opened his eyes to glare at the other man. Maybe it would make him go away, or at least shut up. "Why are you even here?"

"I saved you life. I at least want a thank you kiss for all my trouble," Tracer sat draped over the back of a wood chair, looking far too comfortable for Tomonori's liking. Long black bangs obscured his right eye, and a stub of a dieing cigarette hung in between his lips. Though the window behind him Tomonori saw the glow of the streetlights below, and a fading half moon looking in on him.

"You..." Tomonori rested boney, white fingers over his eyes. He ran the tips over the rough gauze rapped around his forehead. He found the other man exhausting under normal circumstances; he certainly didn't want to deal with him now. His head felt like something was inside trying to break out, and the pain in his right shoulder grew with every waking moment.

"Hey now father, don't go back to sleep on me. I'm getting bored here." Tracer flicked the still glowing butt out the window.

"I never asked for you help." Tomonori bitterly spat out.

Tracer pulled both cigarettes and lighter from the pockets of his coat, and tapped a stick from the pack. The lighter's flame was a harsh surprise against the dim white light that filled the room. He took a drag on the cigarette, and visibly relaxed as the smoke filled his chest.

On the exhalation, he finally answered, "It's good you don't have too. If you did, you'd be dead," All the grins and laid-back attitude was gone now, leaving a shaded, reflective individual in its place. "You always seemed quite a capable hunter, but tonight was an embarrassment," Tracer eyed the embers of his cigarette, rather than looking at the other man. "Such a mistake is not fit for a man of your skills. Second thoughts will be what gets you killed. If you're going to be so kind, you shouldn't have picked this life."

Tomonori made no response, and, for a while, the only sound was that of the street outside. The scenes of the events that landed him bandaged in that bed played out in front of his eyes once again that night.

A child's cries echoed though a darkened room. A trail of blood dotted along the wooden floor, leading to muffled sobs. He had followed it quietly, ready to finish his work. The sliver cross in his hand caught the light from the door behind him. He found her curled up in the corner farthest from the door. Once brown hair, now stained to black with another's blood, rested against her knees. He tightened his fingers around the thin chain connecting him to his weapon. "In the name of God-"

"I didn't mean too," The words were a raspier whisper shattering the tense silence. Two brown eyes peered up into his. A porcelain doll's face with blood smeared across itslips, two grisly holes in her otherwise clean neck. Her eyes were brimming with tears, and, for a moment, he could only stare into them.

That was all she has needed.

The brown eyes flashed to red, and before he could react five long nails were buried deep in his shoulder. He slammed back against the floor. He tried to raise the cross, but it one swipe from the girl's hand, and it was out of reach. "It's a shame," she leaned to whisper in his ear, "You have such beautiful eyes. I might just have to keep them."

She leaned back, exposing two long white fangs. The more Tomonori tried to struggle the weaker he found himself. He could feel her hot breath blowing the hairs on his neck. All he could do was close his eyes.

"Hey mosquito woman, I'm going to be his first kiss."

Tomonori heard something metal, and hollow bounce across the floor. A bright flash of light filled the room, and the vampire on top of him screamed before falling into ashes.

"You know," Tracer had gotten up from his chair, and was now blowing suffocating smoke into Tomonori face. Tomonori resisted his urge to cough or jerk away. "You really shouldn't go around giving it away like that," Dark eyes glittered down at him inches away form his face. For some reason Tomonori found himself without his usual response. Hitting him would have to do. He almost felt bad about it; he did just save his life.

But only _almost_.

"Oh! I...ummm..." Both men looked over to the open door. A young nurse stood, clipboard in hand, looking wide-eyed and embarrassed. "S-sorry! I'll come back later!"

"Wait, It's--" But she was gone before Tomonori could explain.

"How about that kiss now?"

"I can and will hurt you."

"I always knew you'd like it rough. It's always the quite ones."

"Excuse me gentlemen," Said another nurse, not wide-eyed or embarrassed, but tried and annoyed, "We do not allow that sort of behavior in here."

"My apologies," Tracer said, rising from the bed with a sweeping bow. "I simply could not resist myself when I saw the lying there looking all needy," He had made his face a downcast one, but it was destroyed by a faint smile to tugged at his lips when he heard Tomonori growl behind him.

"Out. Now." The nurse commanded.

Tracer quickly head to the door, "Night, love!" He sang as he passed though.

"You-!"

"Please restrain yourself, sir," The nurse pushed down on his hurt shoulder, casing him to hiss and fall back to the bed, "I need to take your blood pressure...Is that smoke in here?"

**---o0o---**

Less than one hour later Tracer stood before Tomonori's front door, trying to get up the nerve to knock. It wasn't that he was afraid, but the kid was an _Eraser_. And while he wasn't sure exactly how the mindbreaker thing worked, he was pretty sure that they knew he had gotten hurt. He just hoped that the kid was here, and that he would listen to his explanation.

His made up explanation. Saying. "Oh, I just follow Tomonori home one night, so I would know where he lived," would probably not win him any trust.

Of course if Tomonori had ever said anything about him to the kid, and he was sure he hadn't, trust would not be an issue. Yes, it was all Tomonori's fault he hadn't knocked yet, but he would, in another minute.

"Can I help you with something?"

Tracer whirled around to find Tsukasa on the doorstep behind him. The kid's cheeks were stained red from the cold, and his hair looked wind swept. He was wearing a loose blue top, and baggy pants...ah, and no shoes. He must have gone out looking the minute he felt Tomonori in trouble. He was also looking on edge, best to respond before there were wings involved.

"Tsukasa, right?" Tracer smiled. "Don't worry, Tomonori's okay."

Tsukasa's back went stiff, and he crossed his arms. "How do you know?"

A valid question. "Because I took him to the hospital myself." At this Tsukasa turned pale and uncrossed his arms. "But he really is okay," Tracer quickly assured. "I just came by to take you to him."

"Who are you?"

"An old...friend."

"What's your name?"

"Tracer."

"He has never mentioned you."

"We have had a kind of rocky relationship." Tracer waited for the next question, when they just stood there, he spoke, "My car is just around the corner. You can go inside and put on something warmer, then we'll go," Tracer was starting to worry. Maybe the kid was going into shock or something. He kind of looked like it. Or maybe Tomonori had mentioned him before, and told Tsukasa not to trust him.

Hn, did seem like something the guy would do. Those big, brown eyes did seem suspicious.

"He's really okay?" Tsukasa spoke at last.

"A bump on the head and a scratched up shoulder. Come see for yourself."

**---o0o---**

When they arrived Tomonori was asleep, as expected still on pain killers. Tracer watched Tsukasa sit attentively by Tomonori's bed, holding his hand under the covers. He kept glancing at Tomonori's shoulder. Wanted to heal it, Tracer figured. Either he realized that it really was a very bad idea to heal a wound magically in a hospital, or he didn't want Tracer to see his powers.

Probably both.

He hadn't asked a lot of questions after they got in the car. While that was good, he didn't really want to answer the ones that came to his mind, it did seem weird. Later he figured he would find something to worry about in that, but at the moment he had been awake for 29 hours and was getting kind of tired.

Tomonori was starting to stir, and the kid was anxiously hovering over him. Time to make a disappearance.

**---o0o---**

"Tomonori-san?"

"Mn...Tuskasa?"

"Yes," The boy smiled. "Are you alright? Should I get a nurse?"

"No, I'm fine," He squeezed the hand that was holding his. "Did the hospital call you?"

"No, Tracer-san bought me."

That seemed to take a moment to process. "_What?_"

"Tracer-san showed up at home. He said he knew where you were. I know you said not to trust him, but you also said he wasn't a bad guy. And I was really worried. I felt you get hurt, but when I went there you were gone, and I couldn't even sense you anymore. Mana said she could still feel you. A-and Haruna said she could tell you were on the west side of town, so I knew you weren't...yo-you know--but still no one knew what happened. Itsuki said it was really weird for you just to disappear like that and--" Tsukasa stopped his rambling to let out a small hick-up.

"I'm sorry, Tsukasa." Tomonori started to raise his arm to wipe away the escaping tears, but Tsukasa pressed it down, and did it himself.

"Ah, sorry, I said I wouldn't do this."

For a while they talked quietly about what had happen. Tomonori explained the situation (leaving out a few select details). At the end of his story he had deiced he had to ask. It would bother him forever, if he didn't.

"He didn't do or say anything weird, did he?"

"Huh? Who?"

"Tracer."

"Um, no. He acted a little nervous at first. What kind of weird things?"

"Taking advantage of your shock and worry." Tracer stepped just into the door way, hand held to his heart. "I am hurt that you would even ask that. What kind of monster do you think I am?"

Tomonori did not look abashed, raising an eyebrow and glaring.

"Of course I took advantage of his shock and worry! Look at that face! Those eyes! The lips! How could I_ not_?"

Tracer was saved (or doomed, depending on whose wrath you would think the worst) by the return of the tried and annoyed nurse. "You! I told you to get out of here."

"Leaving right now!" Tracers headed down the hall.

"Oh no, I'm going to make _sure_ you don't come back."

"Tomonori-san, what did he mean by 'take advantage'?" Tsukasa asked.

**---o0o---**

* * *

Will Tracer ever get his kiss? Will Tomonori have to explain? Could this get really craky and turn in to and OT3 situation? 

Possibly!

But I'm to lazy to write it.

Now, what will I have to do to get a review from you guys? **  
**

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	3. Nastumi, Irresponsible Aunt

So, I lost my copy of the story that SHOULD be here. I've been rewriting it, but it not going so good. (Uhhh...how did I end this again?) That's my reason for cheating here. Yes, it's true. This is NOT a first meeting, but it is a first. That's good for something, right? Here is the first time Mana went to stay with her Aunt with out her Mom.

I'll make up for it...

* * *

Title: The Evils of Eggnog 

Prompt: 9. Christmas

Word Count: 1091

Rating: G

Summary: The account of a rather disastrous Christmas party. (Not beta read. Feel free to say, "Yeah we can tell.") Het.

**------oOo------**

It was the holidays, a time for laughter, family, friends, giving, and Christmas parties.

"Aunt Natsumi," Mana whined, tugging on the other's sleeve, "This party is boring. Can't we go home now?"

"Tell me about, kid," Natsumi mumbled, knocking once hair-sprayed bangs from her eyes again, "We'll go at nine, but not before. You can stand it till then, right?" She smiled down at the pouting girl. "After all everyone keeps going on about how cute you are."

"It's embarrassing," The little girl said honestly.

"You're getting to stay up late."

Mana continued to pout.

"If it means anything to you, I want outta here just as bad as you do," Natsumi said, bending down to whisper in Mana's ear. Natsumi enjoyed parties. Enjoyed them a bit too much at times, she could here her mother's voice remind her. But this "office Christmas party", was not a party by any standard she knew how to use. It was some kind of forced ("Didn't you know? The last guy who missed the party got fired a week later."), evil, social networking thing.

Seeing as she liked to eat, and did not fancy living in a box on the corner, she bought a stuffy looking red dress and came.

On top of everything, (including that looming deadline that she was-not-going-to-think-about-tonight) her niece, Mana, had come to visit for the week. Natsumi was surprised when she receive the phone call to meet Mana at the train station, because her mother had gotten sick again, and couldn't make it.

At least Ken from the mailroom was here. He was something _very _nice to look at. Merry Christmas, indeed.

"You know, Natsumi, when I said you could bring a date, I meant someone tall, dark, handsome, and male." Nasumi stood, turning to find her publisher behind her.

"Sorry, ma'ma. This is my niece, Mana. I couldn't find a babysitter."

"No need to be so formal!" She exclaimed throwing her arm around Natsumi's stiffening shoulders. "We're all just friends here."

Natsumi forced a weak smile. _'Just remember, she signs the checks. Getting paid, getting paid, getting paid...'_

"Now, there is a gentleman over here I'd like you to meet. He's my nephew, and he has been wanting to talk you _all night_! He's just too shy. It really _is_ adorable." The blond woman started to lead Natsumi away, so Mana followed wearily.

After a few minutes of watching Natsumi talk and look awkward, Mana deiced she was far too bored to stay still. Wondering over to the food tables, she began to stockpile on Christmas tree cookies. Alas, there was no milk. There was some red punch, but she had some of the earlier. It tasted _awful_. At the end was a bowl of white, creamy looking stuff. Since it was the only other option, she went with that. Aunt Natsumi said it wasn't any good, but anything would better than that punch, she decided.

It was delicious, and she ran out of white stuff before she ran out of cookies. Naturally, she got anther cup.

And another.

And another.

And, on her sixth cup, she started to feel a little funny. It was then Natsumi realized that she was gone.

By the time she found her, some 20 minutes later, Mana was very drunk off of eggnog. She also had taken off part of her dress ("I was hot."), and thrown up all over poor Ken's shoes.

After a hasty apology, slipping Ken her number with an offer to pay for his shoes, she escaped with Mana form the party.

"Your mom is going to kill me."

"I don't feel so good…"

"Ooooh! Not now! I can't pull over here. Hold it in!"

But she couldn't.

_'I am never having kids.'_

That next not-so-merry morning started with some more throwing up, and a very unpleasant phone call.

"How the hell did you get my daughter drunk, Natsumi?"

"Look sis, she just got away from me. My publisher wanted me to "talk" to her nephew, and he wasn't even straight. Lady has got to be in denial, it's as plain as day. And really, the guy had on more make-up than me."

"Natsumi."

"I won't do it again."

"That is not the right thing to say here."

"I gave her hang over medicine?"

A sigh came though the receiver, "Can you just please keep my child alive, and uninjured for three more days?"

It wasn't long after she hung up the phone that Mana came slowly padding out of the bathroom.

"You feel better, sweetheart?"

Mana shook her head, her arms still wrapped around her waist. "I think I threw up my stomach."

"That's a good sign."

Mana groaned before wondering off into her bedroom.

Natsumi picked up the remote, and started to flip channels. At least she had the day off. She didn't want to have to face her publisher anytime soon. And she really didn't want to be informed that the pizza place she has just escaped was the 'best place for her'. If she ever had to answer another phone with "may I take your order" again, there would be more than hell to pay. The very idea made that cardboard box in some back alley looked good.

She sighed and flicked the off button to the TV, when the phone rang, probably to tell her to box up the contents of her desk as soon as possible.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Natsumi, I'm glad you're home. It's Ken."

"Listen, I'll bring the money for the shoes on Monday. Just tell me how much," She rubbed her forehead. She hoped they hadn't been expensive; she hadn't even gotten her first paycheck yet.

"Like I said, don't worry about it."

"If you're sure," Nastumi sighed. "If it's not about the shoes, why did you call?"

"I-I never can resist using a pretty girl's phone number."

Wait a second. Was he hitting on her? Was the _Greek God_ of the mailroom hitting on _her _after her niece put liquid Christmas cookies all over his shoes? And was he nervous?

"I can't say that I mind," She smiled.

"I was wondering, do you have a date for the New Year's party?"

Natsumi smiled died on her lips. "We have one of those too?"

"Unfortunately."

"Never knew this job would take all the holidays from my life."

He laughed, and Natsumi sighed happily. Even his laugh was sexy.

"We can always skip out early, and do something fun. If you don't already have a date that is, I mean, you probably do--"

"I don't, and I would love to."

Mana ran by into the bathroom.

**------oOo------**

One fic closer to 100. Review? Tell me what you would like to see.


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